There is a lot of smoke surrounding LeBron James and the Warriors this offseason.
But with NBA free agency still weeks away, it’s unclear if Golden State will successfully recruit arguably the greatest player of all time to the Bay Area for the end of his illustrious career.
While some, including NBC Sports Bay Area’s Warriors insider Monte Poole, who reported Thursday, citing a source, that there at least is curiosity on both sides about a potential union, have been reluctant to predict a change of scenery for James this offseason, others, including The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, believe the 22-time All-Star will join Golden State this offseason.
"Before we get to Giannis, LeBron, what happens with that is a good one. This one is a really fun one because the Warriors is really in play now, like for real. I really feel like if I had to bet my life on a team, I'd think I… pic.twitter.com/5TE7bulDKJ
“LeBron, what happens with that is a good one,” Simmons told Zach Lowe on the latest episode of his podcast. “This one is a really fun one because the Warriors is really in play now, like for real. I really feel like if I had to bet my life on a team, I’d think I would bet on them . . . I think that would be the move for me.”
James and his longtime Klutch Sports agent, Rich Paul, have not given any public indication as to which path the 41-year-old might take this offseason as he decides whether he wants to either return to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he has spent the past eight seasons, join a new team, like the Warriors, or potentially retire.
It’s no secret that Golden State, led by general manager Mike Dunleavy, will search high and low for roster upgrades this offseason, and with a handful of NBA stars potentially available this summer, perhaps James might be the most intriguing.
Jun 7, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Bubba Chandler (36) pitches the ball against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates have been slipping over the last week of the season. The Bucs are just 3-7 in their last 10 games and have slipped back to hovering around .500. This might be the time where the team needs to make some aggressive changes, and I think one of those changes should be in the starting rotation.
Bubba Chandler has been very inconsistent this season for Pittsburgh. In an appearnce against the Atlanta Braves, he pitched 5 1/3 innings. He only allowed 1 hit and 2 earned runs and seven strikeouts.
In that game, we saw something we haven’t seen all season and that was Chandler not starting the game. The 23-year-old pitcher came into the game in the second inning, with Mason Montgomery getting the start.
On Saturday, Chandler started agains the Marlins and went for 5 2/3 innings, giving up 2 runs on 3 hits with 6 strikeouts. He didn’t get the win.
With the recent inconsistencies that Chandler has had, maybe fresh changes like that is exactly what he needs. Chandler is just 2-7 on the season and has a 4.76 ERA. He has also struggled with walks this season with 41, which is the most by any pitcher on the Pirates pitching staff.
We saw the right-handed pitcher come out of the bullpen last season when he was called up, and he threw well. I think moving Chandler to the bullpen and giving Carmen Mlodzinski his starting rotation role back could be beneficial.
Mlodzinski has shown a lot of promise this season in his 13 games played. The 27 year old pitcher is 4-3 on the season with a 4.02 ERA and a WHIP of 1.40.
I think Chandler has a lot of potential, but the pitching across the board has been a problem for the Pirates over the last couple of weeks. Making some changes like this could light a fire under Chandler and make him a better pitcher.
I don’t think the young pitcher has lived up to his high expectations yet, but this is just his first full season in the majors. If Chandler can be better utilized in relief than as a starting pitcher, the Pirates ought to consider the adjustment. It has the chance to help both the rotation and the bullpen.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 13: Ceddanne Rafaela #3 of the Boston Red Sox takes the field for the first inning of a game against the Texas Rangers on June 13, 2026 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I feel like I’m been pretty negative over the last few weeks of Brushback articles. I need to change up my mentality a lil’ bit.
This 2026 Red Sox season, as we all know by now, has been tragic thus far. Not enough offense, the pitching isn’t enough to carry them to victory on most nights in spite of their best efforts, the front office seems completely aimless, yada yada yada. These are things that you haven’t already read before on OTM, be it from me or from any of my colleagues. Frankly, these are themes you’re likely gonna continue to see as the summer progresses as well. The Craig Breslow question isn’t going away anytime soon—well, unless FSG decides to give him a pink slip in the coming days—and even after a series win against the Texas Rangers at home (wait, we’re allowed to win multiple games at Fenway????), the dreams of seeing the Sox qualify for postseason ball seem to be just that at the moment: dreams.
But we’ve got nothing but precious time to complain about all the shit that’s going wrong for Boston. The organizational soap opera will continue, and I frankly don’t want to sit here and repeat the same talking points/complaints each and every week that I sit down to write about this stupid team. I’m sure you don’t want to read the same article over and over and over again, either. What’s the point of essentially copying and pasting the same Brushback article all the time at this point? We’ll have weeks—maybe even months—to perform an autopsy on this season, how poorly the roster was constructed, all that fun stuff. Our regularly scheduled bellyaching will continue long into the dog days, short of something astonishing happening in Boston over the next few months (I’m not holding my breath, but stranger things have happened; after all, the Knicks just won a championship).
So while I can’t sit here and tell you that my entire outlook on the Red Sox is positive—because it clearly isn’t—I at least wanted to shake up the mojo a little bit and shine a light on a guy who I haven’t given enough credit to here on the website: Ceddanne Rafaela.
It’s Monday Morning Brushback time, y’all.
What a year that Boston’s center fielder is having, folks. Through his first 66 games he’s logged a 2.2 fWAR; he’s on pace to smash the career high of 3.8 he set last season. The numbers leading into Saturday’s game don’t lie, as Jake Iggy of BoSox Talk pointed out on The Everything App:
A lil’ bit of traditional stats if you prefer the old school, a lil’ bit of nerdy stats if you don’t like Manny Machado. Either way you slice it: he’s been a productive hitter, as evidenced by the 127 OPS+ he’s notched leading up to Sunday’s finale against Texas.
Now if I told you I was gonna write 1,000-ish words about a guy with a .291/.346/.457 triple slash leading up to that Sunday night matchup at Fenway, you might scratch your head a little. “Sure, that’s a very solid output,” you may think to yourself, “but why are we focusing on him entirely here?”
Well, two things:
Again, I’m trying something positive here to distract myself from the rest of the dumpster fire that is this season, and
Not all 127 OPS+ outputs are created equally
We all knew that Ceddy had some juice in the bat, but the big question with him had been consistency; he’s got a bit of JBJ in him due to his defensive wizardry and his affinity to switch between hot and cold in a jiffy.
One word jumps out at me when looking under the hood when trying to figure out Rafaela’s progression in 2026: competitiveness.
The major issue I had with Ceddanne’s plate approach in the early stages of his career was that he gave up too many ABs too easily. Chasing after junk, not working counts, making bad swing decisions, etc. Even when you are making contact, an approach like that is going to throw you off-kilter when you’re stuck in between.
Now, even when you’re just watching him, Ceddy looks much more comfortable at the plate compared to where he was when he first started in the bigs. Of course, some of that comes with time, but it’s quite noticeable to me nowadays. If you don’t trust the good ol’ eye test: the simple fact that he’s cut his whiff rate by nearly 10 percentage points since the 2024 season, per Savant, should do a lot of the heavy lifting here. He’s not getting fooled as often and that’s allowed him to deal more damage at the dish.
To take it a step forward and to play with my keyword for Rafaela: as of Sunday morning, he ranked within the top 75 (just barely—he was number 75 exactly) of competitive swings across MLB this season. A fancy dancy Statcast metric, a competitive swing is defined as “the fastest 90% of a player’s swings, plus any 60+ MPH swings resulting in an exit velocity of 90+ MPH.” For reference: Ceddy had 1,080 and 1,104 competitive swings in 2024 and 2025 respectively. Rafaela put the ball in play through 31.6% of those competitive swings in 2024 and 36.3% in 2025.
This season, that rate is 38.3%. It’s a marginal improvement, yes, but it’s one that I think speaks to the improved plate approach. A better approach with improved plate discipline leads to fewer whiffs, which leads to more competitive ABs in general, which leads to more competitive swings, which leads to profit.
None of this even mentions the knack Rafaela has to deliver a clutch knock, by the way, which is a trait that he’s certainly shown during his big league tenure.
I don’t know if he’ll get there, but Ceddanne Rafaela deserves to be in Philadelphia this summer. pic.twitter.com/0YuvUn0AbZ
Now, granted, Rafaela might be the beneficiary of some BABIP luck thus far in 2026. His xwOBA and xSLG metrics are both below the 30th percentile leaguewide, and his expected batting average is only around .250 as I’m writing this Sunday morning. The signs of continued progression are there, however, so I’m not totally spooked by those analytics. Improvement isn’t always linear, and he’s still a relatively young guy. There’s more room for growth, and that starts with the game-to-game approach that Ceddy’s implementing in the better’s box.
All of this is to say that Ceddanne Rafaela has to be an All-Star. He probably doesn’t start the game over Byron Buxton, sure, but who else has an obvious claim to an outfield position over him this season? The only guy I can think of who would steal a spot over Ceddy is probably Julio Rodriguez of the Mariners due to his power numbers and his star status, but I’ll take the guy who’s OPS is 50 points higher and is a platinum glove type of fielder. Get Ceddanne to the Midsummer Classic, baby.
Is the team bad? Yes. Is this going to be a long summer in Boston? Probably. Is the future unclear? I’m too scared to answer that question in earnest. But do we have Ceddanne Rafaela patrolling center? Yes, yes we certainly do. So we got that going for us, which is nice.
Meanwhile there was high drama at Wantage Road, where Calvin Harrison blazed 92 from 100 balls to give Northamptonshire a seven-wicket victory over Gloucestershire with just 13 balls to spare
Mostly positive, with sunny spells, though there are some showers moving north and east. At Wantage Road, they’re starting to mop up.
A huge wicket! Joe Clarke is bowled by Jake Ball, who was substituted in half way through the game because of Gregory’s hamstring. Delight for Somerset, despair for Clarke who was done for pace. Notts 51-4,
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 28: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket against Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half at the TD Garden on October 28, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Citi used to have a student loan management operation headquartered here in Sioux Falls.
Some years ago, they announced they were getting out of the student loan business, and that put a big question mark around the people in that department.
Citi hadn’t announced layoffs—in fact they hadn’t announced anything.
At one point, I asked a friend of mine who worked in that department if she’d heard anything.
Her response: “I don’t listen to what people are saying, because the people who know what’s going on aren’t talking.”
But here we are, talking once again about Giannis for Jaylen.
I’d love to put my friend’s advice to work here—and indeed, I suspect that most of the people talking are talking through their hats—but I can’t because these rumors have become the story to cover, and I am, as a fan, caught up in all this.
I have no insight whatsoever into what’s actually going on—an admission that I wish more talking heads would make before they repeat unsourced rumors.
What we’ve got is a situation where once again, we’ve collectively put Jaylen Brown on the trading block.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JUNE 21: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics reacts during the Boston Celtics Victory Event & Parade following their 2024 NBA Finals win at TD Garden on June 21, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images) | Getty Images
And, honestly, this is a weird place to be as a fan — at least those of us who are fans of Jaylen Brown. The guy has always been a polarizing figure among Celtics fans, which is probably why these trade rumors catch fire whenever they crop up.
There’s a subset of fans who are positively eager to see him gone. One or two of them might even chip in on the cost of moving van rentals. I’ve never understood these fans.
I like JB. I think that he struggled a bit with maturity on the court early on — he might have benefitted from a couple extra seasons of college ball — but he’s grown up into a valuable member of the team both in terms of what he does for himself, but also in terms of what he does for his teammates.
The C’s seem to have given up on designating team captains, but JB has basically taken up that mantle in all but name.
So it’s uncomfortable for me as a fan to think about trading him to another team in exchange for a superstar who might be on the verge of having his body break down on him (I can’t help but think of Kemba Walker when I look at Giannis’ age and the nagging injuries that he had all last season) — and who can walk at the end of next season if he wants to (shades of Kyrie).
It’s uncomfortable to be a Schrödinger’s fan when it comes to Jaylen — and Giannis. Am I supposed to look forward to JB’s contributions to the C’s next season, or am I supposed to get excited about seeing what Giannis can do?
It’s pretty hard to try to steer a middle ground through this. In fact, I’d say that it’s about as impossible as having an atom simultaneously be in a state of stability and decay. Ambiguity doesn’t work in some cases. Either we want Jaylen on the team next season or we want Giannis. I don’t think we can logically want both.
Adding further to the quandary is the fact that we have zero say in what actually happens. No matter how much we like Jaylen or doubt Giannis’ ability to contribute at a high level for the next few years, if Stevens is going to pull the trigger on this trade, he’s going to do so based on input from people who aren’t us.
All we want is certainty, and certainty is the last thing that’s on offer at the moment.
So here we are… Caught between two possible outcomes and trying to find solid footing on the shifting, slippery, oozy foundation of unsubstantiated rumors.
Frankly, I tend to have my doubts about the rumors that have been swirling for a month now simply because they’ve been swirling for a month now.
Again, I don’t know how Boston’s front office works, and I don’t know that they’ve done anything other than kick the tires on a Giannis deal—which any responsible front office needs to do. But this lingering chatter, these leaks, this doesn’t feel like the way Boston does business.
It doesn’t take that long to hammer out a deal.
It feels like Milwaukee is trying to drive up the return for a player who’s got only one year guaranteed, some nagging injuries, and a growing reputation as a malcontent.
I don’t know that Boston made an offer for Giannis back when these rumors started, but I’d be very surprised if that offer was an open-ended one. I don’t think Boston put an offer out as soon as their season ended with the idea that it would just sit with no expiration date while Milwaukee used it in an attempt to solicit better deals from other teams.
I always ask myself what people who leak rumors like these gain by leaking them. I mean, either these rumors are coming straight from the horse’s mouth or they’re being exaggerated somewhere down the line, by people who are distorting what they’ve heard for their own particular ends, ends that have nothing to do with objective reporting.
But here’s the thing. I may have my suspicions that these rumors are being started in bad faith, but there’s no certainty to these suspicions.
My skepticism has no more firm a foundation than the credulity of someone who believes that this is all smoke, and where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
But this is where I find myself as a fan.
I have an outcome that I would prefer—that Jaylen remains with the Celtics—and I’m constructing a rationale to justify it.
I don’t like living in this space.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – JUNE 13: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks celebrates with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy after the victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Congrats to the Knicks
When the Knicks came back and beat the Jaylen Brown-less Celtics in game 80 of the regular season, I remember quipping to my brother, “Gee, you’d think they won the Finals.”
Well, whaddya know.
The important thing, as Celtics fans, is that we overreact to the Knicks, put them on a pedestal, and assume that only a major overhaul of the Boston roster will be sufficient to catch up with them.
SECAUCUS, NEW JERSEY - MAY 05: Detailed view of the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery set at the NHL Network Studio on May 5, 2026 in Secaucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Assuming the Pittsburgh Penguins stick with their choice at the 22nd overall pick on June 26th (which would be a decent-sized assumption based on Kyle Dubas’ history of trading down in the first round), which players might be around for them? Overall, the 2026 draft is now considered in some circles somewhat weak and disappointing compared to what it looked like it was shaping into earlier in the process.
Here’s a look at draft rankings and how they average out to set a baseline of what could happen, especially when it comes to prospects like Ryan Lin or Wyatt Cullen. This graphic suggests neither will still be on the board at No. 22.
Rankings are updated with a few new additions, and here is the landscape.
The NHL draft, it should be said, is nearly impossible to project. Too many players come from too many different countries and leagues to standardize or predict what 32 teams are thinking when they rank their players. Sometimes players get picked way higher than pre-draft expectations – take Ben Kindel going 11th overall last season which was far higher than almost anyone would have predicted going into the event. Kindel’s 2025-26 performance showed that was more about what the scouting/pre-draft community didn’t know in their analysis of his game.
However, the overall listings can show set some expectations.
With that in mind, we can probably starting zeroing in for the following:
20: Nikita Klepov
21: Ilia Morozov
22: J.P. Hulbert
23: Xavier Villeneuve
24: Juho Piiparinen
25: Maddox Dagenais
Klepov, is “is a highly skilled playmaker who flashed his skill level in the USHL last year and led the OHL in scoring this year with 97 points in 67 games,” per The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler. Puck skills and scoring ability is the name of his game in scouting reports, with exciting upside as a summer birthday to make him a younger prospect than many in the class. Concerns or limitations look like compete level at his size (6’0, 180) and not being the most dynamic skater for a winger.
Morozov seems to be a player sent to the Penguins in many mock drafts. A natural center with good size (6’3, 205), Morozov (no relation to former Penguin Aleksey) is also on the younger side for players in the draft. He’s cited by Wheeler as being a “pro-built center who has a good feel for timing on both sides of the puck and plays off his linemates well”, with some concerns about his offensive ceiling at the pro level.
Per Wheeler, Hulbert was “fourth in the WHL in scoring with 42 goals and 97 points in 68 games and playing both center and the wing effectively. He also finished second in the league in shots on goal with 294. He wasn’t viewed as a first-rounder coming into the season, but he made a ton of plays (though he has regressed a little down the stretch) to put himself in the mid-to-late first range”. He would seem to fit the Dubas profile in a lot of ways for being a WHL player, versatile in center/wing ability, highly productive with well-rounded game and competitiveness to boot. Hulbert also played on Harrison Brunicke’s junior team, so he certainly will be a player that Pittsburgh has kept tabs on throughout the season.
Villeneuve could be a high-risk, high-reward type of prospect. Wheeler says of the left shot defender, “this season, he continued to make plays at a high rate, was playing above a point per game, and led all D in shots on goal before a hip injury shut him down in early January, after his production had regressed a little following a hot start. He returned in time for the playoffs and was up and down for me in recent viewings. He didn’t meet my expectations this season on the whole, even factoring in the time lost”. Villeneuve is slight at 5’10 and 164 pounds, but everyone is looking for that Cole or Lane Hutson type of slick, offensively gifted defenseman. Villeneuve has some dynamic skill but also some questions to answer about projectability and whether or not he will take off.
Piiparinen could be described as the anti-Villeneuve. From Wheeler, “he’s an August birthday who’s already very polished, is a superb athlete, and has shown more offense at Finland’s junior level; he has played a more reserved/vanilla style at the pro level and at times internationally”. The 6’2, 204 pound left shot defender is known for steady, effective play, thinking the game well and making the little choices around the ice when it comes to playing the puck or taking proper positioning, with questions about his skill and just how high his ceiling might be.
Dagenais takes us back to the land of good-sized centers at almost 6’4 and 200 pounds. Wheeler writes, “Dagenais is a pro-sized forward who, at his best, stays around and on the puck and shows confidence holding and shooting it. When he’s engaged, going to the net, winning board battles and stacking positive shifts, he looks like a future middle-sixer NHLer who’s going to score 20 goals. He has good skill.” Concerns on him include a concussion history, possible pace and consistency issues.
—
While meant as a little primer for names that could be in the range for the Pens’ pick, the truth is that without knowing their board it would be impossible to see what direction they might go for making the pick. Some-to-all of these players could be available and a perceived ‘reach’ for a different player happens all the time in the NHL draft. This grouping of players provides a good place to start, even if it still very possibly could not be where the Penguins decide to end up going. This range of candidates is out there as some names to read up on in the event they are who Pittsburgh is picking through when it comes time to making their first pick.
One of the more fun things to do in statistics is what I lovingly call the Player A and B test. It is more of psychological ploy than anything else. Unfortunately, we have feelings that get attached to every player on or off our team. So, comparing two players is next to impossible when their names are attached. That comes with positive and negative bias. For instance, comparing Jose Altuve to any historical second baseman is nearly unfair. We have all kinds of baggage attached that muddies the waters there.
I did not invent the Player A and B test. Standing on the shoulders of giants leaves me cold (bonus to anyone that gets that reference). We simply compare numbers and remove the names. One of the troubles is that some numbers become identifiers by themselves. Like if I say that Player A drove in 191 runs in a season then you automatically know I am referring to Hack Wilson.
In this edition of the test, we are comparing one Astros pitcher to a historical pitcher. We will prorate the numbers to assume a full season for this Astros pitcher. In doing so, hopefully we will muddy the identities just enough to make this a fun exercise. We will include some basic numbers and then another table with some sabermetric numbers. First, let’s start with some basic numbers.
GS
INN
W-L
ERA
HRA
Player A
33
193.1
9-21
5.73
34
Player B
32
178.2
7-19
5.86
42
Unfortunately, this is one of those cases where if you know your baseball history then you already know the two pitchers. Of course, I am going to reveal it at the end, so if you don’t know you can live in suspense. I should point out that Pitcher A surrendered more home runs than any pitcher in the league in that season and Player B did too. Otherwise, these pitchers look extremely similar and that is always the fun part of the Player A and B test.
I should also point out that both pitchers are in very similar stages of their respective careers at this point. Player A is 25 while Player B is 26, so both respective teams could collectively believe that these pitchers could grow and turn into something. However, this is usually where the comparisons break down. The era is different. The home ballparks are different. The teams are different. So, there is a ton that gets in the way of suggesting these two were separated from birth.
There are some numbers I like for quick reference at baseball-reference.com. I should point out that these aren’t the only numbers out there and some of the more analytically minded will point out they may not be the best ones. However, they are fairly easy to interpret, so they make a comparison like this easy. ERA+ measures a pitcher’s ERA against the league average with a ballpark adjustment included. 100 is average with everything under that being below average. Most of you are familiar with bases per out which has become a bit of a signature for me. The lower the better on that front.
Weighted adjusted average percentage calculates what a pitcher’s winning percentage would be with an average team. So, this includes average run support, average bullpen support, and average defense behind the pitcher. This immediately spills us into a neutral record. You simply multiply the adjusted percentage by the total number of decisions. Finally, we get the percentage of quality starts for the pitcher.
ERA+
BPO
waaPCT
NW-NL
QS%
Player A
75
.783
.451
14-16
42
Player B
73
.931
.491
13-13
21
These are two very similar pitchers in most respects. The BPO is radically different but Player B somehow comes out looking better in the subsequent categories. This is because he had bad batted ball luck. Of course, I am being cagey in order to avoid spilling the beans on who we are talking about, but these numbers likely have left enough bread crumbs for you to figure out at least one of the pitchers.
Neither of these are good pitchers, but the adjusted won-loss records show that neither is as bad as they look initially. They pitched in different eras which could account for the quality start percentage. However, the innings totals are not all that different and even when we include the era and ballpark adjustment, we see that these two pitchers are very comparable.
The Big Reveal
Player A is Mike Maroth from 2003 and Player B is Mike Burrows from this season with his numbers prorated to the end of the season. The situations are obviously vastly different which is why this is such a big deal. Those 2003 Tigers lost 119 games. They were never in the hunt, so they were just happy that someone was there to give them some innings. As soon as the Tigers were ready to be competitive then they were ready to move on from Maroth.
Burrows is in a different situation. For one, he was supposed to be a number two starter, That obviously hasn’t worked out, but the adjusted winning percentage shows he hasn’t been as bad as the numbers would suggest. However, the team has designs on getting back in the race, so they have to weigh the benefits of getting five innings every time out with a pitcher giving up runs at a pace that has them on pace to lose most of his starts.
I’m not supposed to make declarative statements in the lab and I really can’t in this case. On the one hand, every important metric points towards positive regression. On the other hand, it is hard to be patient and wait that out when every loss hurts. This is one of those decisions where I can’t damn them either way they go. What do you think? Would you pull Burrows from the rotation when Hunter Brown returns?
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 14: Bryce Elder #55 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the first inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on June 14, 2026 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was a tough week for the Atlanta Braves, as they finished 1-4 for the week as a whole after losing to the Mets 8-1 on Sunday. While the Braves were the best team in baseball on the road entering the week, every team is bound to have these stretches at least a few times a season.
While better days will happen soon, the Braves starting pitching also will remain a concern going forward. Spencer Strider will be meeting this week with the same doctor who did his elbow surgeries in the past, which is certainly not the best news. Bryce Elder is working through regression and the Braves in general are managing the staff to ensure the bullpen does not get overused. It is not an ideal situation, but hopefully reinforcements will be here soon to make things a bit easier.
Braves News
The Braves best MLB hitter and minor league hitter, Drake Baldwin and Eric Hartman, both hit home runs on the farm on Saturday. Baldwin was not in action Sunday as his game was postponed, so it will be interesting to see what they means for his return at some point this week.
MLB News
The White Sox are continuing to surprise, and validating they are no fluke, with series wins over the Braves and Dodgers this week.
The Brewers were able to find success against Christopher Sanchez in a win over the Phillies on Sunday.
The Knicks finally won their first title in 53 years behind Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, but with massive contracts looming and the second apron approaching, keeping this core together may be even harder than winning it all.
Let's take a second and actually sit with this. The New York Knicks are NBA champions. The trophy is real, the 53-year drought is over, and the parade is set for Thursday. For a city that spent the better part of three decades being the league's most glamorous punch line, this is the moment that changes everything -- the before and the after, the line in the sand that separates the dark years from whatever comes next.
Now comes the hard part.
Winning a championship is one thing. Staying on top is another conversation entirely, and the Knicks are about to learn that the second part of this story is significantly more complicated than the first. The roster that just won the title is expensive, aging at the margins, and sitting on the edge of a financial cliff that the entire organization has been quietly navigating for two years. The window is real. The question is how long it stays open.
Start where it all started, with Jalen Brunson -- who etched his name into Knicks lore after claiming the Finals MVP by dropping 45 in a closeout game on the road -- and the contract. When Brunson signed his four-year, $156.5 million extension in 2024, he left an estimated $113 million on the table, a decision that at the time felt almost too good to be true for a franchise that had spent years making the wrong moves at the wrong times. Two years later, he's the face of a championship team and the reason the roster around him was good enough to get it done.
The math is simple: no discount, no OG extension, no Bridges trade, no KAT. No title.
But here's where the math gets complicated. Next summer, Brunson will be eligible for a projected four-year, $257 million extension. If he waits until 2028, that number could balloon to five years and $417 million. He already telegraphed his position on this earlier in the year. "Obviously, we'd love for them to do right by me," he toldVanity Fair. "I think anyone would. I feel like I sacrificed." He's not wrong to say it. He earned every penny of whatever comes next. But paying him what he deserves -- and what he's owed -- is going to set off a chain reaction that reshapes everything the Knicks have built.
Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart both have contracts expiring by the summer of 2028, which turns that season into a potential pivot point for the entire roster. The Knicks have essentially been operating on borrowed time, building a championship window while keeping one eye on the second apron threshold established by the new CBA to limit dynasty-building. Sustaining championship-level rosters under the current collective bargaining agreement is harder than ever, and the second apron has fundamentally changed how organizations allocate money. The Knicks have been dancing right on the edge of it. That dance is about to get a lot more complicated.
So what does running it back actually look like? The core is intact for at least one more season. Brunson, KAT, OG, Bridges, and Hart are all under contract for 2026-27. The Knicks have the capability to run back all or most of their team for next season's title defense, and the expectation is that they will. Defending champions with this much continuity and this much to prove don't blow it up after one ring. They come back hungrier. That's the easy part.
Elsa / Getty Images
The trickier question is 2028 and beyond. When Brunson's extension hits and the KAT and Hart contracts expire in the same summer, the Knicks are going to face a roster crossroads that no amount of championship equity can fully solve. Do you pay Brunson the max and build around an aging point guard coming into his mid-30s? Do you let Towns walk and rebuild the frontcourt around Brunson and OG? Do you find a way to keep everyone and absorb the luxury tax bill that would make even Madison Square Garden's ownership wince?
None of those are easy answers. All of them have real consequences.
And then there's the larger question, the one that gets at the soul of what just happened in New York. Will we ever see a run like this again?
The honest answer is probably not exactly like this. What Brunson did in 2024 was singular. His decision to play on a below-market contract could be one that catches on among other NBA superstars, but the realities of the current CBA make it a binary choice -- maximize earning potential or maximize championship equity. You can't fully have both anymore. Brunson chose championships. He got one. The bill is coming.
What the Knicks have going for them is something that can't be manufactured with cap space or trade assets. They have a culture now. They have an identity. They have a city that showed up every single night and made MSG the most hostile building in the league all postseason. That doesn't go away because the roster shifts. It gets built on.
But make no mistake: The window that opened in 2024 when Brunson took less than he was worth is the same window that's going to start closing the moment he gets paid what he deserves. The Knicks bought themselves two extraordinary years with that discount. They used them perfectly.
Now they get to find out if they can do it all over again -- this time, the hard way.
Jun 13, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) hits a single against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images
The Dodgers are back home for their final homestand of June, so let’s look at some news and notes from over the weekend.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto taking a perfect game into the eighth inning was the highlight of the road trip, and the right-hander has allowed only four runs in 35 2/3 innings over his last five starts. Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register talked with pitching coach Mark Prior and others about Yamamoto:
“He can attack the plate on both sides from ball-to-strike better than anybody I’ve ever seen. He has that ability to do that when he’s on,” Prior said. “That makes it tough on hitters. You don’t know if the ball is coming at them, from the right side or the left side, and going in.
“That’s what makes him special. It’s not just the amount of pitches. It’s the ability to throw them in four different quadrants and have pretty good execution and efficiency with it. That’s what makes him special.”
“I haven’t found any way that gives me that tranquility and peace,” he told The Times in Spanish two weeks ago. “Because the way things are there, what’s always on your mind is that it could happen. Anything, anytime. And I have all my family in Cuba. So, you have to live with that worry all the time.”
Betts’ bat-to-ball skills are intact. His whiff rates (96th percentile) and strikeout rate (91st percentile) continue to be among the league’s best, and he is regularly hitting the ball on a line. He is keeping the ball off the ground just as he did in his last truly elite offensive season in 2023.
It just hasn’t always been the right type of contact in the air. His percentage of pulled fly balls (21 percent, entering Sunday) is the lowest he’s had in a season since 2019. Most of that contact is going up the middle …
Oh, Jalen Green. What are we going to do with you?
There are only two years left on your contract, but I feel like we barely know you. You surprised us with that injury. That was pretty sneaky. To be real, I can’t quite figure you out. Some plays, I’m shouting, “MVP.” Some plays, I’m shouting, “Why did you shoot that?” Sometimes I’m shouting, “Man, if only…”
If only Jalen could finish at the rim, he’d be an All-Star. If only Jalen could improve his playmaking, we’d have an open three instead of a turnover. If only, if only, if only. But it was only two seasons ago that Jalen Green was the leading scorer on one of the best young teams in the NBA. He led the Rockets in points, field goal attempts, and three-point attempts. On the Suns, he ranked third in all three categories, and that makes me wonder. Were the Rockets a better fit for Jalen Green?
The pre-KD Rockets were young and athletic, stacked with long, rangy defenders that were developing their offensive games, and they relied on Jalen to do what Jalen Green does best. Get up shots. Create off the dribble. Attack the paint. Jalen Green led the Rockets in FGAs every single season he played for them.
That’s not what the Suns want from Jalen, at least not on that volume. The Suns have too many shooters for Jalen to stop the ball and go to work. The Suns want ball movement and open threes. The Suns want Devin Booker to go to work, and Jalen Green to be able to work off of him. For many of the Suns players, that was a recipe for success. Dillon Brooks took advantage of the spacing by posting a career high in points. Yet Jalen had a bumpier road. Derailed by an injury at the start of the season, Jalen returned to the Suns tentatively, clearly struggling with the mental aspects of returning from the first significant injury in his career, which underscores an important aspect of Jalen Green that needs to be considered. Jalen Green is still a young player.
There’s room for growth in Jalen Green’s game. The offseason has just started, and Jalen Green is already putting in the work. As is evident from the videos going around on social media, Green is developing that midrange game. And there’s room for improvement there. Last season, he struggled to shoot in traffic, posting his lowest FG% on shots between 3 and 10 feet, and in the workout videos I’ve seen, that’s where he’s shooting it from.
But I can’t help but notice as he puts up shots from the elbow, that’s the same space Booker likes to shoot it. So while improving those shots will make Jalen Green a better scorer. It may not make him a better fit for the Suns.
That doesn’t mean that Jalen Green doesn’t fit in with his teammates. He’s positive and energetic even through his injury. The same was true for the Rockets. Jalen Green is a great guy. It’s not a chemistry issue.
It’s not a buy-in issue either. Jalen Green gives the effort and energy Matt Ishbia has demanded from the Phoenix Suns going forward. Defensively, he’s not locking anyone down, but in the play-in game against the Warriors, he showed just how disruptive he could be, posting three blocks and two steals. He shot it 20 times that game, going 8-of-14 from three and scoring 36 points. His best all-around game of the year. He led the Suns in FGAs that game.
Jalen came to the Suns, tacked onto the deal to make the salaries match. It’s like if you had a pot that you loved to cook with, but the lid broke. So now you gotta buy a whole new pot to replace the lid, but you like your old part. This new one’s just taking up space. What you really need is a pan.
This isn’t a knock on Jalen Green or a call to trade him. I don’t think there’s any question that the injury affected Jalen. On dunks this past season, he recorded a 64.6% field goal percentage. The year before in Houston he dunked it home 82.9% of the time. There’s plenty of reason to think he can put up the type of numbers he did in Houston with a healthy year.
But Houston traded him because he had plateaued. Can he add to the non-scoring related elements of his game, specifically his playmaking? Can Booker and the Suns coaching staff make adjustments to help unlock his scoring and improve his efficiency? As I mentioned earlier, he’s a young player with room for growth. But growth is not the same thing as change. Jalen Green will become a better Jalen Green. What the Suns need him to be is a different Jalen Green. And that might not be in the cards.
I do know the Suns have to decide if they want to re-sign him. Maybe they’ll have a better idea of whether Jalen Green fits what they want to do by the trade deadline. Some early-season success might improve his trade value. There are teams out there that need a primary scorer. The Suns already have one. They picked up Jalen because they had to get a lid for their pot, but if they really want to start cooking again, they don’t need a second pot; they need a new pan.
So Suns fans, do you think Jalen Green will be a part of the Suns’ long-term solution? Let me know in the comments.
PROVO, UT - FEBRUARY 7: AJ Dybantsa #3 of the Brigham Young Cougars calls a play agianst of the Houston Cougars during the half of their game at the Marriott Center on February 7, 2026 in Provo, Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
During Will Dawkins and Michael Winger’s introductory press conference in June 2023, the duo outlined a multi-year plan to resurrect a dormant franchise in need of a major reset.
After years of chasing NBA titles with a play-in roster, Wizards ownership promised a different approach — one built on trust between an owner tired of mediocrity and a front office eager to build a perennial contender in the nation’s capital.
“The eventual expectation is that we’re gonna build a generational contender,” Winger said in 2023. “There’s no excuse for the lone NBA team in D.C. not to be contending for championships. Eventually, we’re gonna hoist a trophy here in D.C.”
Winger said his staff had “full autonomy” to reset the team. And reset it did.
Three 60-loss seasons, four lottery picks and several savvy trades later, only one player — Anthony Gill — remains from the roster Dawkins and Winger inherited.
But the rebuild isn’t complete.
One decision stands between three years of tanking and a potential title contender. It’s a decision the Wizards are lucky to have, yet desperate to get right.
The prospect Washington selects with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft must carry the weight that selection bears and more.
They must want the ball when the game is on the line. They must possess the relentless drive to be great that is often the catalyst for legendary careers.
Most importantly, they must become the star the Wizards need to take them from a mere playoff participant to a feared title contender.
That player is AJ Dybantsa.
Why the Wizards should select Dybantsa at No. 1
There are several important metrics when evaluating NBA prospects, such as height, scoring ability, defensive impact and character.
When it comes to the top pick, however, ceiling trumps all. That’s because when prospects are so closely aligned in the aforementioned categories like Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer are, upside is the greatest tiebreaker.
While Boozer has the most polished game and Peterson is the silkiest scorer, Dybantsa possesses the skills and measurables of a future MVP candidate.
During his lone season at BYU, the 19-year-old forward scored a Division-I best 25.5 points per game while shooting 51% from the field. Dybantsa used his 7-foot wingspan to grab nearly seven rebounds per contest. His 3.7 assists per game showed a willingness to move the basketball into prime scoring positions when defenses loaded up to stop his scoring.
As the modern NBA shifted to a perimeter-oriented game, the college game followed. Most prospects in this year’s class reflect that shift, relying on 3-point shooting as their premier offensive threat.
But not Dybantsa, who owns a smooth mid-range jumper and puts relentless rim pressure on whoever dares stand in his way.
At 6-foot-10 in shoes, Dybantsa can rise and shoot over almost any defender — a rare trait seen in scorers like Kevin Durant and Victor Wembanyama.
It’s why he prefers the mid-range jumper to the more popular 3-pointer. It’s also why he hits that shot at such an efficient clip.
Dybantsa shot 46% on mid-range jumpers as a freshman, which ranked in the 91st percentile among fellow prospects, according to draftballr.com. His eight mid-range shots per 100 possessions ranked in the 94th percentile.
This play against UConn, where Dybantsa gets to his spot, rises over an impeccable contest from 6-foot-7 Jaylin Stewart and sinks a mid-range jumper, encapsulates his talent.
2. Can get to his spots and shoot over almost any defender.
Dybantsa gets the ball in the post, steps to the free-throw line and drills a contested mid-range jumper through contact and over an incredible contest from 6-foot-7 Jaylin Stewart. pic.twitter.com/TBIdQSmjO4
Dybantsa and Peterson both project as offensive engines poised for long careers filled with thousands of buckets. But how they project to score those points differs dramatically.
During his freshman season at Kansas, Peterson primarily operated on the perimeter and in the intermediate scoring areas with 3-balls and floaters. Dybantsa did the opposite, instead relying on layups, dunks and mid-range jumpers for the bulk of his buckets.
The key separator lies in their ability to get downhill and finish at the rim — an area Dybantsa dominated while Peterson faltered.
Dybantsa shot 72.3% at the rim, which ranks first among ESPN’s consensus lottery picks, on more than eight rim attempts per 100 possessions. Of Dybantsa’s 604 shot attempts, 153 (25.3%) came inside of three feet.
4. Can get downhill and finish at the rim.
Dybantsa takes the ball in transition and uses a low pickup to blow past the initial defender before using a euro step for the lay.
Next, he uses a quick first step and another euro to get past two defenders and get to the bucket. pic.twitter.com/sRSH9TYuhD
The offensive-minded forward can draw contact as well. He attempted 13.1 free throws per 100 possessions, narrowly trailing Boozer’s 13.2 and Caleb Wilson’s 14.1, and finished his freshman campaign with a 49% free-throw rate.
Dybantsa’s 296 free-throw attempts led all Division-I players and more than doubled Peterson’s 132.
Peterson shot just 59.7% at the rim on 5.8 attempts per 100 possessions and finished with a 37.1% free-throw rate — nearly 12 percentage points behind Dybantsa. Furthermore, 41% of his shots came from 21 feet or more away from the basket and just 15% came from three feet or less.
Despite playing off ball at Kansas, Peterson’s camp believes he’s a point guard at the NBA level. But his low assist numbers — he averaged just 1.9 helpers per game compared to Dybantsa’s 3.7 — and subpar 1.o assist-to-turnovers ratio reflect a guard far from traditional NBA point guard standards.
His constant cramping issues and other nagging injuries, which caused him to miss 11 of his team’s 35 games, were certainly a factor. However, those health issues also represent the main concern for several evaluators who question Peterson’s long-term viability.
Peterson has Dybantsa beat in 3-point shooting and most defensive metrics. And at times, the Kansas product made college basketball appear too easy.
But Dybantsa’s long frame, freakish leaping ability and elite athleticism provide hope that his defense could dramatically improve with increased film study and reps next to top defenders like Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly and Kyshawn George.
And his mid-range talent and relentless rim pressure, combined with his availability — he missed zero games at BYU — athleticism and upside as an All-NBA forward who could one day lead the NBA in scoring, give him the edge over Peterson.
Dybantsa vs. Boozer
Draft Express’ Jonathan Givony reported that nearly every NBA team has Boozer atop their draft board. And for good reason.
The Duke forward dominated nearly every matchup with his bruising 6-foot-8, 253-pound frame. His soft touch around the rim, seasoned footwork and smooth outside jumper posed near-impossible tasks for most defenses.
But when games got tight, and Duke needed a bucket, Boozer often reverted to his post game, one heavily reliant on bullying his way into the paint against smaller defenders, trying to force the officials to call a foul if his contested layup didn’t fall.
That approach is less likely to work in the NBA.
There’s no denying Boozer projects as a terrific professional with All-Star potential. He’ll likely average 20 points and 10 rebounds and drive winning in any situation he’s drafted into.
The issue is that he projects as more of a complementary piece than a No. 1 option. And for a Wizards squad filled with complementary pieces, Dybantsa better fits what they’re missing: An offensive engine with elite shot creation tools that can get a bucket when everyone knows who’s getting the ball.
The numbers tell the story.
Dybantsa ranked in the 99th percentile of Draftballr’s age-adjusted offensive box score impact metric despite a 33.5% usage rate, which ranked in the 100th percentile. BYU continued to pile more onto his plate, which only raised his level of play.
When BYU’s second leading scorer, Richie Saunders, tore his ACL on Feb. 14, the Cougars’ reliance on Dybantsa skyrocketed. Defenses gameplanned to stop him at all costs, and even that wasn’t enough.
Dybantsa scored 20 or more points in every game to close the season, including three contests with 35 or more and a 40-point showing in Round 1 of the Big 12 Tournament.
While Washington’s young core has received praise for its two-way impact, outside shooting and tremendous upside, one question has lingered: Who would step up as the team’s go-to scorer in key moments?
Enter Dybantsa, who, despite being the centerpiece of opponents’ game plans, averaged 31.0 points on 52.4% FG in three Big 12 Tournament games and dropped 35 points in BYU’s lone NCAA Tournament contest.
In big games and season-defining moments, Dybantsa doesn’t just want the ball. He demands it. And when he does, he meets the moment.
Just ask Texas coach Sean Miller, who seemingly ran out of adjustments in trying to stop BYU’s offensive engine.
“I don’t think we can [stop Dybantsa],” Miller said during his team’s NCAA Tournament victory over BYU. “There’s just very little you can do.”
Addressing the shooting concerns
The major question mark surrounding Dybantsa is his 33.1% 3-point clip, which ranks third-worst among Draftballer’s top-20 prospects.
But one collegiate season with poor outside shooting numbers doesn’t mean a prospect can never develop a 3-point jumper, nor does it mean that prospect can’t become one of the league’s premier scorers. Especially when that prospect possesses the athleticism, speed, rim pressure and two-point game that Dybantsa does.
Just ask John Wall, the Wizards’ No. 1 pick in 2010 who shot 32.5% from 3-point range at Kentucky before a lengthy NBA career that included five All-Star appearances. Or Derrick Rose, who shot 33% from three at Memphis before winning MVP as a 22-year-old with the Chicago Bulls.
Anthony Edwards was selected with the No. 1 pick despite shooting 29.4% from 3-point range at Georgia. Five years later, he made an NBA-best 320 threes at a 39.5% clip.
Other NBA All-Stars who shot sub-33% from three in college include Russell Westbrook, Jimmy Butler, DeMar DeRozan, Dwayne Wade and Rajon Rondo. What do those players have in common? They relentlessly attacked the rim, and when defenders took away their drive, they relied on an efficient mid-range game.
Dybantsa’s outside shooting numbers fall significantly behind those of Peterson (38.2%) and Boozer (39.1%). But other indicators, like his efficient mid-range jumper and touch in intermediate areas with floaters and push shots, showcase a shooting touch poised to stretch beyond the 3-point line with good coaching and lots of repetition.
The missing piece
Three years of losing have positioned Washington to achieve its ultimate goal: finding a centerpiece to build a perennial contender around.
Washington has done so in the inverse, spending the first three years accumulating talent to surround that centerpiece with.
Sarr is one of the league’s best young rim protectors. George and Coulibaly possess two-way potential as complementary offensive pieces who star on defense. Tre Johnson and Bub Carrington are 40% 3-point shooters who pose a threat from long range the second they cross halfcourt.
Will Riley flashed his shifty scoring ability in the latter months of an impressive rookie campaign. Justin Champagnie simply impacts winning on one of the league’s best contracts. The latest additions, Trae Young and Anthony Davis, add a veteran presence necessary for young teams to thrive.
It appears Washington is just one piece away. Winger said the Wizards aren’t looking for a “savior” with their top selection. But it’s no secret they lack a true No. 1 option.
Peterson has All-Star potential. And Boozer could become one of the league’s most dominant interior forces.
But Dybantsa possesses the greatest potential to become everything this rebuild was started for and more: A prospect with MVP upside, the missing No. 1 option to a puzzle that’s one piece away from its final form.
FREDERICK, MARYLAND - APRIL19, 2026: Victor Figueroa #24 of the Frederick Keys readies for the next pitch during a South Atlantic League game against the Hudson Valley Renegades at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium on April 19, 2026 in Frederick, Maryland. The Renegades beat the Keys, 7-6 in 10 innings. (Photo by Rodger Wood/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Tides closed out the first half of the season at Harbor Park with a sloppy 11-7 loss on Sunday. New guy Chris Kachmar, in his third start since being signed on a free agent contract, pitched a stinker, allowing five runs on six hits in four innings for Norfolk. Cameron Weston wasn’t good, either, allowing three runs in one inning. José Espada and Enoli Paredes also caught the run-allowing bug, but Andrew Magno pitched a scoreless ninth. All nine Memphis starters recorded at least one hit in what turned into a 25-hit ballgame.
At least Norfolk managed 11 hits of their own. Christian Encarnacion-Strand blasted his 15th homer of the season and finished 2-for-5. Enrique Bradfield Jr., done with his rehab stint, went 2-for-5 with a stolen base and an RBI. Heston Kjerstad turned in another multi-hit game in the month of June, going 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Johnathan Rodriguez contributed a double and two RBI.
Another rough one in Altoona, until this one got called early for rain. Ben Vespi got blown up with a four-spot in the first inning, allowing five hits, and Joseph Dzierwa was OK but not fabulous, allowing seven hits and three runs in five innings.
The Baysox managed a single run on an Anderson de los Santos home run. The 1B went 2-for-3 today. Aaron Estrada, Willi Vasquez and Adam Retzbach each had a single on a five-hit day for Chesapeake.
High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (NYM)7, Frederick Keys 4
Although the Keys outhit the Cyclones 9 to 8, a five-run inning for Brooklyn off No. 9 prospect Boston Bateman—the May Minor League Pitcher of the Month, who entered at 3-2 with a 3.38 ERA—proved a hole too great to dig out of. Bateman surrendered five runs in 2.2 innings on five hits, including a home run.
For the offensively minded, there were a few high points. Slugging first baseman Victor Figueroa keeps hitting bombs, including his seventeenth on Sunday, and he singled in a second RBI. Elis Cuevas was 3-for-4, stole two bases, and scored two runs, partly manufactured by him. Catcher Ryan Stafford had two hits. Ike Irish and Wehiwa Aloy had 0-fers, unfortunately.
Low-A: Columbia Fireflies (KCR) 8, Delmarva Shorebirds 5
Columbia scored all of its eight runs in the fifth inning or later. That’s to say, starter Esteban Mejía was very good, throwing 4.1 innings and allowing just a run. Dalton Neuschwander had the ugly box score, surrendering six runs (five earned) in 2.2 innings of relief, and Adrian Heredia surrendered a solo home run in the ninth. As for the earned-unearned run gap, it’s not often that you see a catcher make four errors in one game, but Delmarva’s Juan Ortega managed to do it (gulp).
On the offensive side, DJ Layton doubled and walked twice. First baseman Miguel Rodriguez hit a two-run double. Shortstop Jaden Lo Re had a 3-for-4 day and is OPS’ing 1.004.
Jun 9, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies center fielder Cole Carrigg (16) advances in the sixth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Cole Carrigg (No. 4 PuRP) has made a statement in 2026.
Through 57 games, he was slashing .338/.414/.529 with 26 extra-base hits (15 doubles, five triples, six home runs) and 30 stolen bases in 37 attempts. That was enough for him to get the call, and he made his debut on June 9th.
“I didn’t really expect it,” Carrigg said on Friday. “[Pedro Lopez], our manager, was just kind of giving a speech sometimes, like he does, and then he just kinda dragged on about something that had to do with one of our conversations and I got a pretty good idea.”
He first called his dad, Mike, and then called his mom, Lisa, his brother and a few friends.
“[My dad] was pretty choked up,” Carrigg said. “He’s just super excited for me, and happy.”
When he got to Coors Field, one of his first stops was to meet with manager Warren Schaeffer.
“I just went in and right as I got there, I went into his office,” Carrigg recalled. “He was super pumped and excited to let me get out there and try to win some games.”
So far, Carrigg hasn’t skipped a beat, hitting a triple and two homers in his first five games. And to make things even more special, the triple was his first MLB hit. He’s the second Rockie to ever record a triple as his first MLB hit after Ryan Ritter did it on June 6, 2025.
“The triple was really fun,” Carrigg reflected. “I was glad to get the first hit out of the way in the first game, and it was pretty fitting that I got to run around the bases for a triple, which was pretty nice. And then, honestly, the homer was probably the coolest moment in my life so far. It was an out-of-body experience that I can’t really explain.”
Carrigg had another out-of-body experience in Las Vegas, though, launching a three-run homer on Saturday night to give the Rockies the lead late (which they ultimately lost, and lost the game 7-5).
And, of course, it was “definitely cool” to put on the purple coat.
Before the game on Friday, manager Warren Schaeffer said he was “not surprised” that Carrigg has had early success.
“I mean, I thought that if he came up here and played like himself and his attitude was the same as it’s always been, then he would be just fine,” Schaeffer said. “And that’s exactly what I’ve seen. I’ve seen a fiery guy who hates to get out, who plays good defense. He’s ready to play at all times. He just can make an impact in so many different ways on the baseball field, and that’s what he’s done so far. So [I’m] very, very happy that we have Cole Carrigg here.”
Even though he was more nervous in the batter’s box, Carrigg didn’t show it.
“Definitely stepping into the batter’s box was more nerve wracking than stepping onto the field,” he said. “I feel like playing defense is, I guess, easier than hitting. And obviously, it’s pretty nerve wracking stepping into the box and you’re the only out there on offense.”
But his favorite moment of his first week in the big leagues came off the field.
“[My favorite moment was] probably my cart shower, when the guys threw me in the shower,” he chuckled. “It was just something that I did not expect to happen, and I had no idea what to expect. It was very interesting, but awesome.”
Overall, Carrigg’s biggest takeaway from his debut week is “the difference in the amenities.”
“Clubhouse, stadium, clubbies… everything’s just that much more professional,” he said. “It’s super cool being on a private jet instead of flying Southwest. It’s all the stuff that’s different.”
But going forward, Carrigg is most looking forward to “trying to keep winning series, and see if we can make a push and just keep winning ballgames. But I’m just happy to play with these guys.”
The Rainiers (SEA) came out of the gates with a rally in the first that culminated in a two RBI single from Victor Labrada. The Isotopes countered by scoring in back-to-back innings via a two-out RBI single from Jose Cordova in the second and a leadoff homer from Richie Martin Jr. in the third. The final run was scored in the bottom of the third when Cal Raleigh (who is on a rehab assignment) was sent home thanks to an double from Labrada.
While the offense was largely done early, the pitching staff’s for both teams looked great throughout. For Albuquerque, Keegan Thompson started the game and allowed three runs (all earned) over four innings. Thompson was followed by a string of scoreless one inning outings from Parker Mushinski, Jordan Romano, Sammy Peralta, and John Brebbia.
A fairly uneventful game resulted in the Isotopes falling to 35-34, second in the PCL.
The Yard Goats lineup had success from the top to the bottom and combined for a total of nine hits and seven walks. Of particular note were Zach Kokoska’s first triple of the year, two hits from Andy Perez, and home runs from Roc Riggio (No. 14 PuRP) and Aidan Longwell. It was not, in the end, enough as the Yard Goats could not hold onto the lead they’d had since the second inning.
On the mound, every pitcher Hartford turned to allowed at least a run. Connor Staine started the game and had the best performance with five innings of three-run ball in which he struck out five. Then came an inning from Davison Palermo who allowed a run on a couple of walks and a sacrifice bunt. Next up was an inning from Griffin Herring (No. 10 PuRP) the end result of which was a Carter Cunningham two-run homer. Finally came in Cade Denton who, in the first of his two innings pitched would allow the go ahead run on a wild pitch. Denton was able to record five straight outs following that run, but the damage had already been done.
Spokane bested the Emeralds (SFG) in a quick afternoon match on the back of strong pitching and some well timed hits.
On the hitting side of things, Alan Espinal hit a home run in the fourth to drive in Jack O’Dowd. Following that homer the Indians didn’t record another hit until the seventh inning when back-to-back hits from Kelvin Hidalgo and Juan Castillo resulted in a run due to the Emeralds pitcher Cade Vernon flubbing a pickoff attempt. Then in the ninth, Espinal singled before Hidalgo and Castillo came through again to load the bases with a double and a walk respectively. A ground-out from Jacob Hinderleider was enough to score the Indians fourth and final run of the day.
Starting pitcher Everett Catlett was both efficient and effective. Catlett threw a total of 82 pitches and struck out eight over the course of six innings in which the only runs scored were on the solo home runs (both in the second inning). Covering the final three innings after Catlett departed were Justin Loer and Hunter Mann. They allowed a couple walks apiece but didn’t allow any of the resulting baserunners to come score which ensured Spokane’s 27th victory of the season.
The Grizzlies took an early lead and never looked back against the Rawhide (ARI). In the top of the first Ashly Andujar (No. 20 PuRP) tripled and then scored on a single from Roldy Brito (No. 11 PuRP). Fresno would score another run in the second on a home run from Luis Mendez. By the time the fourth inning came along Visalia had turned to reliever Ricardo Yan, who couldn’t find the strike zone, and both Mendez and Jeremy Ciriaco were able to draw a walk. A pair of wild pitches would then allow Mendez to score before a hit from Yeiker Reyes would drive in Ciriaco as well. They picked this up in the fifth when a Cameron Nelson single would drive in Matt Klein for the Grizzlies fifth and final run.
The real stars of the game were Grizzlies pitchers Ethan Cole and Bryson Van Sickle who combined to pitch all nine innings while striking out 12 and allowing only a single run. Cole took the ball to start the game and threw five and a third innings and allowed one run on five hits, three of which were doubles. Van Sickle relieved Cole in the bottom of the sixth and finished the next three and two thirds innings by striking out seven without allowing a hit.
Kevin Henry caught up with Rockies’ PBO Paul DePodesta, who was in Las Vegas watching his current team play his former team. They talked about the state of both organizations, and especially how the Rockies are fighting despite numerous challenges.
In Patrick Saunders’ weekend journal, he flashed back to when the Rockies traded for Germán Márquez in 2016. It still goes down as one of the best trades in franchise history, but could the new Rockies front office engineer something similar if needed?
Arion Armeniakos chronicles the Rockies young offense and how they’ve started trending in the right direction. On Saturday, TJ Rumfield recorded his 17th multi-hit game and Troy Johnston has 19. Kyle Karros hit his first career triple. Things are clicking, and hopefully they can all click at the same time soon.
